Awning enclosure



June 18, 1940. c.' D. www n AL 2205,01'5' MINING ENGLUSURE 'Filed Aug.2s, 1957 :s Smets-sheet 2 nventot;

LYDE D Lowes. PAUL. E. PAHN.

' Gttomeg C. D. LOWRY El' AL June 18, 1940.

AWNING ENCLOSURE Filed Aug. 23, 1957 3 Shoets-Sheet 3 w mY me nw 3o D. Em

N. M y E m Gttorneg Patented June 18, 1940 PATENT OFFICE AWNINGENCLOSURE- Clyde D. Lowry and raul E. Spann, Toledo, ohio,

assignors to Libbey-Owens-Ford Glass Company, Toledo, Ohio, acorporation o! @hic Application August 23, 1937, Serial No. 160,370

2 Claims.

equipped with the awning, but which will also serve to protect theawning from the weather when not in use.

l Another important objectoi the invention is the provision of anenclosure which will completely conceal the awning from view when inretracted or rolled up position, and which embodies a hinged cover plateor ap together with *l novel means for eecting the opening and closingthereof; said iiap actuating means being mounted in said enclosure andhidden from view when the said liap is closed.

Another important object of the` invention is 2o the provision of anawning enclosure of the above character including a novel type of hingefor mounting the flap which will afford a wide range of movement to theap; eliminate the necessity for the usual pintle; be of pleasingappearance,

practically unnoticeable, and protected from dirt,

rain, etc.

Other objects and advantages of the invention willV become moreapparentduring the course of the following description, when taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings:

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the same:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a `building structureI such as a store front,having associated therewith an awning enclosure constructed inaccordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the awning enclosure takensubstantially on line 2-#2 of Fig. 1; l Fig. 3 is a sectional/view takensubstantially on line 33 of Fig. 2; I y

. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the hinge for the Y cover plate or ap';

5 Fig. 5 is a vertical detail sectional view of the i (ci. zes-1)mounted the customary roller type awning, said awning being completelyreceived within the enclosure when in rolled up or retracted positionand thereby concealed from view. It will, of course, be readilyappreciated that the-present 5 invention may be employed in conjuctionwith any desired type of store front or window.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the awning enclosure C is mounted in an openingD inthe building wall E. 'I'he enclosure proper comprises a chanw nelI0, which is set back from the face of the building, and the forwardlyextending bottom plate- II and top plate 'I2 secured to the respectiveanges of the channel I0. The bottom and top plates II and I2 areprovided at their forward ends with downwardly and upwardly ex' tendinganges I3 and I4 respectively which conform to and harmonize with thefront of the building. The front of the enclosure is closed by a coverplate or iiap I6 hinged at its upper end B0 to the top plate I2 by meansof the improved type of hinge` designated in its entirety by the numeralI6 and which will be hereinafter more specifically described. The flapI5 is provided at its lower end withy an inturned flange I'l which 25 isadapted to be received within a channel I8 'formed in the bottom plate II when the said iiap is swung to closed position, as indicated in fulllines inFlg. 2.

'Ihe roller I9, upon which the awning 20 1s 30 wound, extendslongitudinally within the encloknown in the art, mayjbe employed toeffect the raising and lowering of the awning, so that adetailed showingand description ofrsuch means 40 is not thought to be necessary.

As best shown'in Fig. 4 the hinge I6 is formed of two hinge sections 22and23 pivotally associated with one anotherv and carried by the topplate I2 and ilap I5'respectively. The hinge sec- 45 tin 22 comprises astrip 22' of arcuate or semicircular formation attached at its upper endvto the top plate I2 by a web 24 and provided at its lower end with anupwardly bent flange 25 terminating in a.cylindrical bead 26. The hingesection 23 also4 comprises a strip 23' of arcuate or semi-circularformation oppositely disposed with respect to the strip 22 and securedatits lower end to the flap I5. Formed at the upper endof the strip 23'is an inwardly bent iiange 65 21 which terminates in a semi-cylindricalbead 28 whichA is received between the arcuate strip 22 and bead 2B,being supported upon the latter, which serves as a bearing therefor. Thebead 28 conforms in curvature to the inner surface of the strip 22' andouter surface of bead 26, so that upon'swinging movement of the ilap I5,the said bead 28 will pivot upon the said bead 26. In Fig,- 4, thevposition of the hinge sections 22 and 23 is shown in full lines when the:Ilap I5 is closed and in broken lines when-said flap is open. As willbe apparent, this type of hinge is very inconspicuous and will in no waydetract from the appearance of the enclosure. Moreover, the movableparts of the hinge are eectively protected from dirt, rain, etc. Inaddition, the hinge is of extremely simple construction and'eliminatesthe necessity for the usual pintle. I

'I'he invention also contemplates the provision of novel means foreffecting the :opening and closing of the ap I5, said means beingmounted in the enclosure and concealed from view but operated from aconvenient point exteriorly 'oi saidenclosure To this end, there isarranged in the upper 'end of the enclosure and adjacent the flap I5, alongitudinally extending actuating or push bar 29, said bar extendingsubstantially the entire length of the enclosure and slidabll1 carriedby a plurality of substantially U-shaped brackets 30 secured to theunderside of the top plate I2. The push bar 29 is provided adjacent oneend thereof with a series of rack teeth 3| with which is adapted to mesha pinion 32`xed to the upper end of avvertical shaft 33.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the shaft 33 may be arranged at one side ofthe store front and can pass downwardly through the wall of thebuilding, being operated atl its lower end by a crank 33 insertable by`the operator through'anopening35 in the said wall.- The opening 33 canbe normally closedby fa suitable plate if desirei. T'he vertical shaft 33 is journaled at Yits upper end in the top plate, I2 and the pinion 32may be housed in a casing 33.

Carried uponvthe under side of the push bar 23, preferably at regularlyspacedintervals along fromthe inner side edge minates in a-relativelyThe amount of transverse taper gradually toward the end a astliethickness of the block also increases. AThis particular shape ofwedge or cam block is of advantage in that, as the blocks engage thelever arms 33 to swingthe ilap I3 open, the said lever arms willalwaysbearupon a relatively wide, dat surface onthe blocks, therebyresulting'in a sturdier, more emcient lconstruction as well as reducingthe wear onthe said blocks 31 and lever arms 33. In other words.

the transverse taper of the cam or wedge blocks` corresponds to the arcthrough 4which the lever arms 33 is swung during the opening and closingof the nap I3.

In operation, whenthe awning-23 is notbeing thereof, areo a piurality'ofcam orl used, it is wound upon the drum I9 whereupon the entire'awningas well as the awning pole 2| will be completely contained within theenclosure and concealed from view by the nap I5. When the ilap isclosed, the push bar 23 is moved to the left in Fig. 1, so that the camor wedge blocks 31 will be out. of engagement with the lever arms 33 asshown in Fig. 5. When it is then desired to use the awning, the operatorrotates the shaft 33 to revolve the pinion 32 carried at the upper endthereof. 'Ihe pinion, meshing with the rack teeth 3|, will move the pushbar 29 `to the right in Fi l, and when this is done, the blocksv 31 engang the upper surfaces of the lever arms 33 will force the said leverarms downwardly and as a consequence swing the Bap I5 outwardly, to openposition. the swinging movementA of the iiap being permitted by thehinge construction Ii above described. When the ap has been moved toopen position, the wedge blocks 31 will be disposed above the leverarms, as shown in Fig. 6, and will be retained in such position until itis desired to close the flap, at which time the shaft 33 is turned inthe opposite direction to move the push bar 29 to the left in Fig. l,whereupon the blocks 31 will be moved out of engagement be readilyappreciated that it is not limited to any particular use or to the useof any special materials. This type of enclosure not only ef- Viectivelyprotects the awning, when in retracted `position, from exposure to theweather but also. by concealing the awning when not in use, adds greatlyto the appearance oi' the store front. 'Ihe style of the enclosure,including the size and shape thereof, can be made to harmonize with andiit into the general appearance and architecture of the store front.Even when the awning is in use, the ilap II, maintained in an inclinedposition, will still add to the appearance oi the store front as it willconceal to a large extent the drum around which the 'awning is wound, aswell as the actuating means for the nap. Furthermore, the flap, when insuch position, will also`give substantially full protection og theworking parts inside the enclosure against the weather and dust anddirt. f

It-is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken es the preferred embodiment of the same.

ndmacvsrmuscnangmtneshapauzeand arrangement oi parts may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit 'of the invention or the scope of thesubioined claims.

I We claim:

- 1. An enclosure for awnings and the like having an opening, a iiap forsaid opening hinged at its upper end, a lever arm carried by said ilapn.

bar extending .lmgitudinally within-.said and mounted for' hm'izontalsliding movement. and a cam member carried'by said 1 push bar and e saidlever ann upon sliding movemen'fo! the said push bar for eilectingthleopeningofsaidarhsaidealnrnembereomprisingablocktaperingfrnoneendtothepposite end thereof and also transversely fromtsinneredgetoitsouteredge.

an opening, aiiap for said openinghinged its upper end,aleverarmcarrledby said nap, pulhbarlongihidinally withinsaid pag b3.Anenclosureforawningsandthelikehav-- of said enclosure for effectingthe rotation of said pinion to cause sliding movement of the push bar,said cam member comprising a block tapering from one end to the oppositeend thereof and also transversely from its inner edge to its outer edge.5

